Storage system



Aug. 16,-1932. T, RN 1,872,458

STORAGE SYSTEM Filed July 23, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

4911 J A L,

F. T. KERN STORAGE SYSTEM Aug. 16, 1932.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 23, 1931 INVENTOR.

6 4 7, 73p, BY

6% W M )hi'fiw ATTORNEY:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRED T. KERN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN STORAGE SYSTEM Application filed July 23,

This invention relates to a system or apparatus for storing material such as sand, gravel, stone and the like, especially designed for embodiment in a gravel plant or stock pile arrangement, and is in the nature of an improvement over the system disclosed and claimed in my pendirg application for storage systems, filed July 26, 1929, Serial No. 381,158.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a system or apparatus of this character which retains all of the advantages of the system of my said pending application and which has the further advantage of increasing the storage capacity of the apparatus and of facilitating1 the discharge of the materials from t e several storage spaces without complicating the structure in any way or materially increasing the cost of the installation.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, a1.- rangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a View partly in diametrical vertical section and partly in side elevation showing a storage apparatus embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the gates for regulating the rate of discharge from a storage space into the lower portion of the central tower or column; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view in elevation illustrating diagrammatically the classifying and washing screens which may be provided in the top of the central tower.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 1 designates generally a central column or tower constructed in any suitable manner, as, for example, of reinforced concrete. This central tower or column is shown as being hollow and the present invention requires that at least the lower portion thereof be 1981. Serial No. 552,581.

hollow. In cross section the tower is shown as being circular but it is to be understood that this cross section may be varied. For example, it may be octagonal or other polygonal form or any other desired shape suitable to the particular installation.

Radially extending walls or dividing partitions designated generally at 2 are provided in any suitable number and extend vertically of and radially from the tower in the particular construction illustrated. Between the partitions 2 storage spaces designated genenerally at 3 are defined. The partitions may be constructed in any suitable manner and in the embodiment herein illustrated for the sake of illustration, each partition consists of an inner Vertical section 4 built up of reinforced concrete and integral with the tower 1. Outwardly beyond the concrete section 4 the partitions are made up of vertical channel irons 5 with which horizontal planks 6 are interfitted, each plank 6 being engaged with flanges of adjacent angle irons and being held so engaged by filler strips 7. The upper edge of each partition slopes downwardly and outwardly.

It will be understood from the drawings that the tower 1 and the inner portions at least of the partitions 2 extend well above and below the ground level. To conform with this structure of the partitions and the tower, the floor of each storage space has an outer horizontal portion 8 and an inner sloping portion 9. The sloping portions 9 provide storage pits 9' in each storage space.

Adjacent the inner and lower portion of each sloping portion 9 of the floor of each storage space the tower 1 is provided with a discharge chute 10.

Each chute 10 is equipped with a conventional feed gate 11, illustrated to advantage in Figure 3, and having suitable adjusting mechanism designated diagrammatically at 12 for holding it in any of its various ad ustments or positions. 5

Within the tower 1 the chutes 10 discharge into a hopper 12 having a flanged outlet 13 directing its discharge onto the belt of a conveyor 15 which leads upwardly and outwardly beneath one of the storage spaces to a point of deposit. As shown to advantage in Fi re 1, the lower end of this conveyor is I cated directly below the outlet 13 of the hopper 12 and within a discharge chamber 16 provided within the tower 1 above its base.

Below the discharge chamber 16 a sum 17 is provided and may receive a'pum not shown) for discharging the water or t e llke that may collect in the sump.

The storage spaces 3 enlarge laterally outwardly as will be understood from a comparison of Figures 1 and 2 and they are completely separated from each other by the partitions 2 whereby different grades or sizes of material may be stored in the several stora e spaces without the possibility of undesiral ile admixture.

The material may be conveyed to the storage spaces in any of a variety of ways. In my copending application referred to above, I have shown two methods of conveying the storage material to the various storage spaces. In order to simplify the illustration of the present application, but one way is shown, although within the scope of the present invention various ways and means may be resorted to. In the construction illustrated, classifying and washing screens designated generally at 20 and of conventional construction are supported on the top of the tower 1. As usual the material is fed axially into the screens 20 through a supply chute 21 which receives the material from a conve or 22 leading upwardly from the source 0 supply as, for example, from a rock crusher (not shown). The material which leaves the screens 20 is carried by chutes 23 to the several storage spaces 3. The sand, before passing into its storage space, travels through a conventional sand settling tank 24.

The material is thus seggregated into piles which are built up within the storage spaces 3 and within the pits 9' thereof and against the portions of the tower 1 located between the partitions 2. The material from any pile or piles may be reclaimed either separately or mixed in any desired proportions by opening selected feed gates 11 to the desired extent. When the selected feed gates are appropriately opened the material flows by gravity from its storage pit through the open gate down through the hopper 12 and on to the conveyor 15. By having the tower and storage spaces extending above and below the ground level and inclining at least portions of the floorsof the storage spaces to form in effect a sloping pit the discharge zone is practically co-extensive with the area of the storage space. In this connection it is to be pnderstood that the angle of slope of the wall 9 in each space is the same as the angle of gravity flow of the material piled therein.

The relatively small amount of material within each storage space but without the discharge zone ma be readily brought into the discharge zone y means of a drag scraper controlled and actuated by lines 31 and 32 operated by the drums of a drag scraper hoist designated at 33.. The hoist 33 is mounted on a wheeled truck or tower 34 traveling on a circular track 35 extending around the storage spaces 3. The line 31 extends directly from a drum of the hoist to the scraper 30. The line 32 extends from a drum of the hoist out over a traveling pulley 36 and then back to the drag scraper 30.. The pulley 36 has a yoke 37 carrying rollers 38 which embrace and engage flanged rail 39 carried by a bracket structure 40 supported by the tower adjacent its upper end. With this construction as the hoist 33 moves around into a position opposite any particular storage space 3 the pulley 36 follows the hoist being pulled around by the lines 31 and 32. Thus, in any particular storage space the drag scraper 30 may be utilized to pile the material up against the tower or to drag the material away from the tower.

The invention claimed is:

1. A storage system of the character described comprising means defining a common discharge zone, a plurality of angularly related partitions grouped about said common discharge zone, adjacent partitions diverging from each other and defining storage spaces abutting the discharge zone at their inner ends and open and unconfined at their outer ends, means for discharging material from any one of said storage spaces into said common discharge zone, each of said storage spaces having a portion at least of its floor sloping inwardly and downwardly to said last named means whereby substantially all of the material in any storage space may be discharged by gravity through said last named means into said discharge zone, means for transferring material from said discharge zone to a point of deposit, and means for supplying material to said storage spaces.

storage system of the character described comprising means defining a common discharge zone located below the ground level, a plurality of angularly related partitions grouped about said common discharge zone, adjacent :partitions diverging from each other and defining storage spaces abutting the storage zone at their inner ends and open and unconfined at their outer ends, each of said storage spaces having a portion at least of its floor sloping inwardly and downwardly to said common discharge zone, the angle of such slope being substantially the same as the angle of gravity flow of the material piled in the storage spaces, said common discharge zone having means permitting gravity fiow of the material in said storage spaces into said discharge zone, means for transferring material from said discharge zone to a point of deposit and means for supplying material to said storage spaces.

3. A storage system of the character de- 4 scribed comprising a central column, the 5 lower portion of which at least is hollow, a a plurality of vertical angularly related partitions extending outwardly from the column, adjacent partitions diverging from each other and providing outwardly enlarging storage spaces, the inner ends of which abut the column and the outer ends of which are open and unconfined, said column and at least portions of said partitions extending above and below the ound level, each storage space having a oor, a portion of which at least slopes inwardly and downwardl toward the lower end of the column, sai column having discharge means leading from the lower end of each storage space into the an interior of the column whereby material may flow by gravity from substantially the entire area of each storage space to the interior of the column, and means for supplying material to the storage spaces. In witness whereof, I hereto aflix my signature.

FRED T. KERN. 

